Livekindly Collective debuts in China with two plant-based brands targeting Gen Z

28 Jun 2021 --- Livekindly Collective has launched in China with two new flagship brands, Giggling Pig (Ge Ji Zhu) and Happy Chicken (Ha Pi Ji). Both have been developed and manufactured locally to cater to Chinese consumer tastes and are the first brands created in-house by Livekindly Collective as part of its strategy for growth in China. 

The two new brands cover a portfolio of seven plant-based products based on traditional Chinese dishes, including plant-based dumplings, several mushroom-based dishes and a seasoned minced dish. 

Both brands are targeted at Gen Z, with cartoon characters, Giggling Pig and Happy Chicken, whose message is that consumers can enjoy great taste, excellent nutrition and a modern twist on heritage cuisine by eating plant-based food. 

China’s plant-based market was almost US$1 billion in 2018, according to the Good Food Institute, and is projected to grow between 20-25 percent annually.

Plant-based revolution
Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Kees Krythoff, chairman and CEO of Livekindly Collective, says China is one of the most exciting and strategic markets for the plant-based revolution and a key pillar of our growth strategy. 

“China has a long history in plant-based cuisine and has been cooking with ingredients like seitan, tofu, and tempeh well before it was mainstream. With young consumers realizing that plant-based meat alternatives bring the easiness of usage and health benefits, we believe that China, and Asia overall, are grounds for exponential growth in this category.”

Currently, Livekindly collective sells in more than 40 markets in the world. 

“Our core strategy has not changed, and in addition to accelerating our core seven brands and expanding into growth markets such as China, we are also always evaluating strategic M&A and partnership opportunities. Our ambitions are great, and so far, we have been delivering on the strategy, which makes me excited about the future.”

The two new brands cover a portfolio of seven plant-based products based on traditional Chinese dishes.“We are proud to launch these new flagship brands, which have been developed and manufactured for Chinese consumers by Chinese experts.”

“We’re coming off a phenomenal first year,” adds Roger Lienhard, founder and executive chairman of Blue Horizon Group and Founder of Livekindly Collective, addressing how the company has become one of the top three highest-funded and fastest-growing plant-based food companies in the world.

“Our portfolio and model are global, and with the launch of our China office and new products, we are closer than ever to achieving our mission of making plant-based living the new norm.”

Tapping into Chinese growth
Since March 2020, in its first 12 months, Livekindly Collective has raised US$535 million to fund its international expansion into China and other growth regions, as well as the company’s strategic acquisitions, partnerships and investments in plant-based innovation.

In addition to the newly created Giggling Pig and Happy Chicken, Livekindly Collective has five plant-based food brands in its portfolio – Oumph!, The Fry Family Food Co., LikeMeat, No Meat, The Dutch Weed Burger and digital media company Livekindly.

“We are thrilled to launch in China with these incredible brands and products that we have crafted from scratch,” says Joanna LiuQiao, regional director, Greater China at Livekindly Collective. 

“China has a long history in plant-based cuisine. We understand what works and doesn’t work for this market, and our new brands are high-quality and tailored to local consumer tastes.”

Asia’s plant-based sector boomsChina’s plant-based market was nearly US$1 billion in 2018, according to the Good Food Institute.
Furthermore, China’s first standard for labeling “plant-based meat products,” which are now defined as food products that use plant-sourced materials or their processed products as sources of protein or fat, has just recently been adopted.

This standard, issued by the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST), signals the rapid growth in demand for plant-based meat in China.

The Asian market, and China, in particular, present a considerable opportunity for plant-based innovation. The Chinese government has initiated massive health initiatives as part of a nationwide focus, driven by the ambitious Healthy China 2030 plan. 

In April, FoodIngredientsFirst reported that Asia’s rapidly evolving food scene was revitalized with new regional plant-based launches inspiring new iterations of traditional cuisine staples.

These moves are timely, as retail sales of meat alternatives in Asia-Pacific grew to an estimated US$1 billion in 2020, according to Innova Market Insights. 

Meanwhile, industry watchers looking east are observing a “quiet food revolution” in Asia. Food giants Nestlé and Beyond Meat have recently spearheaded meatless production sites in Malaysia and China, respectively.

By Elizabeth Green